41 beneficiaries try out SCAN2GO technology while shopping for free
SINGAPORE, 5 August 2014 – NTUC FairPrice held a sponsored grocery shopping trip today at FairPrice Finest at Bukit Timah Plaza to commemorate its 41st Anniversary, for 41 beneficiaries from various charity organisations and voluntary welfare groups. They were led by management and volunteers from FairPrice on a guided shopping trip using the new SCAN2GO technology and given tips on how to stretch their dollar.
Mr Seah Kian Peng, Chief Executive Officer, NTUC FairPrice said, “Over the years, we have gone beyond our social mission and also placed a strong emphasis on giving back to the community. We decided to mark Founder’s Day this year by organising a free shopping trip for beneficiaries of various charity organisations, hosted by senior management and staff volunteers. Moreover, given our role in moderating the cost of living in Singapore, we wanted to take this opportunity to also share useful tips on how to stretch their dollar while grocery shopping and get the best deals available.”
Stretch your dollar with these tips (Please refer to annex for full details)
FairPrice opened its first store on 22 July 1973 and has remained committed to the social mission of moderating the cost of living and helping Singaporeans to stretch their dollar. Through the years, it has implemented various initiatives to allow customers to maximise their budget while shopping for their daily needs.
These initiatives include housebrands, Every Day Low Price (EDLP) basket of products, Tuesday 2% discounts for seniors, membership rebates, LinkPoints and “Must Buy” weekly promotional products among other initiatives. These dollar stretching initiatives are implemented at all FairPrice outlets including FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra stores.
Giving back to the community
Beyond its social mission of moderating the cost of living, FairPrice is also committed to doing good and contribute towards a better life for the community. The co-operative’s charity arm, FairPrice Foundation, has to date contributed more than $55 million to help the poor and needy, better the welfare of workers and promote nation building.
Beyond philanthropy, FairPrice also believes in giving back with time and effort. To encourage volunteerism among its employees, FairPrice launched the FairPrice Volunteer’s Programme in 2012 to provide a structured and sustainable staff volunteer programme that will engage staff at all levels and better connect with the community. In 2013, FairPrice employees clocked about 2,300 volunteers hours, or about 287 work days, participating in various activities like food packing to redistribute food to those in need, visits to homes, and cleaning the homes of elderly residents who live alone. All volunteers will also undergo the necessary training to be equipped with basic knowledge in volunteerism and practical tips on working with beneficiaries.
Enhance shopping experience with SCAN2GO technology
As an innovative and progressive co-operative, FairPrice works continuously to enhance the overall shopping experience with technological advances to meet evolving customers’ needs. Since 2011, several technologies have been introduced, including the Electronic Shelf Labeling (ESL) systems, Self-Checkout (SCO) systems and self-weighing machines for fruits and vegetables. To date, 108 stores have the ESL system while 17 stores have SCOs and 68 stores are equipped with self-weighing machines. The latest initiative is the SCAN2GO project launched at Bukit Timah Finest outlet in February this year.
There are currently 6,500 customers who have signed up for the SCAN2GO system. FairPrice is the first and only retailer in Singapore to launch this system which aims to bring greater convenience to shoppers and enhance the overall shopping experience. The system allows customers to track and tally their purchases as they shop, as well as tabulate savings from promotional and discounted items in real-time. When customers complete their shopping, they need only to hand over the SCAN2GO scanner to the cashier at a dedicated SCAN2GO checkout counter, who will be able to instantly process their entire shopping list and facilitate payment for their purchases seamlessly.
Mr Seah, commenting on the SCAN2GO technology, said, “To boost productivity and overcome manpower constraints, we continue to tap on technologies to serve customers better. The SCAN2GO innovation allows customers to self-scan their items, track their purchases in real time, bag their groceries along the way, and make payment for their purchases quickly. This system complements our self-checkout system, which has been well-received by customers.”
The sponsored trip today saw the beneficiaries from various VWOs like Ren Ci Nursing Home, SPD, and Bishan Home for the Intellectually Disabled, testing out the system for themselves while enjoying a free shopping trip accompanied by FairPrice volunteers and management staff.
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